Data centre cooling apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a data centre, comprising data centre air directing means for directing data centre air from the data centre through a first side of one or more heat exchangers; external air directing means for directing external air from external to the data centre through a second side of the one or more heat exchangers; and adiabatic cooling means for adiabatically cooling the external air prior to entering the one or more heat exchangers, such that the external air flowing through the second side of the one or more heat exchangers indirectly cools the data centre air flowing through the first side of the one or more heat exchangers. Embodiments of the present invention may be realised in which the data centre is a moveable data centre.

1 . A data centre, comprising:
 data centre air directing means for directing data centre air from the data centre through a first side of one or more heat exchangers;   external air directing means for directing external air through a second side of the one or more heat exchangers; and   adiabatic cooling means for adiabatically cooling the external air prior to it entering the one or more heat exchangers, such that the external air flowing through the second side of the one or more heat exchangers indirectly cools the data centre air flowing through the first side of the one or more heat exchangers.   
     
     
         2 . The data centre of  claim 1 , comprising recirculation means for controllably allowing at least some of the external air to recirculate through the second side of the one or more heat exchangers. 
     
     
         3 . The data centre of  claim 1 , wherein the data centre is a moveable data centre. 
     
     
         4 . The data centre of  claim 3 , wherein the data centre air directing means comprises a region of the moveable data centre separated from a region of the data centre storing computer equipment. 
     
     
         5 . The data centre of  claim 3 , wherein the external air directing means comprises an external air channel arranged between first and second opposing sides of the data centre. 
     
     
         6 . The data centre of  claim 5 , wherein the adiabatic cooler and the one or more heat exchangers are arranged in the external air channel. 
     
     
         7 . The data centre of  claim 2 , wherein the recirculation means comprises at least one recirculation channel arranged generally alongside the external air channel having a mixing damper arranged therein for controllably allowing air from proximal to an outlet of the external air channel to recirculate to an area of the external air channel proximal to an inlet thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The data centre of  claim 1 , wherein a region of the data centre storing computer equipment is segregated into cool and warm air portions and airflow between the cool air portion and the warm air portion is substantially via the computer equipment. 
     
     
         9 . The data centre of  claim 8 , comprising an outlet arranged in a warm air portion of the region of the data centre storing computer equipment to exhaust data centre air there-from, a conduit to direct the data centre air through the first side of the one or more heat exchangers to an inlet arranged in the cool air portion. 
     
     
         10 . The data centre of  claim 5 , wherein the external air directing means comprises a plurality of external air conduits each having an adiabatic cooling means and one or more heat exchangers arranged therein. 
     
     
         11 . The data centre of  claim 1 , wherein the adiabatic cooling means comprises means for increasing a moisture content and lowering a temperature of the external air passing there-through. 
     
     
         12 . The data centre of  claim 11 , wherein the adiabatic cooling means comprises one of a porous medium having water supplied thereto or spray means for spraying water droplets into the external air. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for cooling air from a data centre, comprising:
 one or more heat exchangers having at least two separate channels there-through, a first channel of the one or more heat exchangers for receiving an airflow from the data centre and a second channel of the one or more heat exchangers for receiving a second airflow; and   one or more adiabatic coolers for cooling the second airflow prior to it entering the second channel of the one or more heat exchangers.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising a recirculation channel for allowing at least some of the second airflow to recirculate through the second channel of the one or more heat exchangers. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the recirculation channel comprises a mixing damper for operatively controlling a passage of air there-through. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising a conduit for receiving external air, channelling the external air to the adiabatic cooler and the one or more heat exchangers, and exhausting at least some of the external air. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , comprising at least one fan arranged in the conduit for moving external air there-through. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13  comprising at least one fan for circulating air from the data centre, through the first channel of the one or more heat exchangers and returning the air to the data centre. 
     
     
         19 . A method of cooling a data centre, comprising:
 directing external air through at least one adiabatic cooler to reduce a temperature whilst increasing a humidity of the external air;   directing air output from the at least one adiabatic cooler to a first side of one or more heat exchangers; and   directing air from the data centre to a second side of the heat exchanger separate from the first side, such that heat is absorbed from the data centre air flowing through the second side by air flowing through the first side.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising recirculating at least some of the external air output from the one or more heat exchangers to the adiabatic cooler.